1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image sensing device for use in a digital copying machine or the like, for sensing image information of a document, and also to a linear sensor for use in the image sensing device. The invention also relates to a method of driving the linear sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an image sensing device used in a digital copying machine or the like, a linear sensor is used as means for sensing image information across a document. A typical conventional monochrome linear sensor includes only a single line of sensor elements. The image information is sensed with this single line of sensor elements while scanning a document in the secondary scanning direction perpendicular to the line sensor.
In the conventional linear sensor with the single line of sensor elements, the image information is sensed line by line. Therefore, to read image information composed of n lines, it is required to repeat sensing operation n times in the secondary direction. Such the repetition of sensing operation needs a long time to read the full image information composed of n lines.